Governance expert, Mr. Ocansey Arthur, has indicated that NPP and NDC purporting to be corruption-free are both being hypocritical.
Speaking on the current banter between the NPP and NDC on the issues of corruption, he averred that both parties, although they are denying, are both corrupt.
“I think they are being hypocritical and don’t want to face the realities because we see corruption on our streets every day. What is the government doing about it? I don’t trust either of the two parties, when it comes to corruption, I can’t vouch for any of them. I think they are both corrupt parties and that is the simple conclusion I can give”.
Mr. Ocansey Arthur
Mr. Ocansey further stated that both parties are not clean as they are claiming to be looking at their past and present corruption issues.
“I think it’s all a joke frankly speaking. At times when all these political activists are talking, you look straight to their face and you will think they are living on a different planet.
“Yesterday, I listened to Sammy Gyamfi trying to say that Mahama’s government is the cleanest and I find it very hard to believe. We are all in this country. And also, John Boadu talking about a corruption-free government. I wonder: are they living in Ghana to see what is happening?”
Mr. Ocansey Arthur
Politics,not developmental
Also contributing to the discussion, Citizen Ato Dadzie, General Secretary of the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP) and a development consultant, indicated that politics in the country has become more partisan than developmental.
“It is becoming pathetic that as political parties we continue to be too political and not developmental. It looks like now [politicians] are only interested in the political issues.
“We are shunning away from the core mandate that we should protect our people and that we need to do things that will develop our country”.
Mr. Ocansey Arthur
He further suggested that the nation needs to address the problems of society and look at how best it can ensure that people have the basic needs that they are supposed to get.
“You see, how can a pot call a kettle black? These days it looks like whatever our opponent does, we need to find a way to make it look dirty because it is politics from day one”.
Mr. Ocansey Arthur
Losing sight of other corrupt practices
Mr. Dadzie moreover posited that there is nothing like national agenda or nationalistic politics anymore. He said it has become so partisan that because of that certain people have taken advantage of it and are making huge sums of money.
“And we are quiet because we are only targeting corruption at politicians. Meanwhile, there are people in the state agencies who are also so corrupt that because we the politicians are playing with ourselves, we are losing sight of engineers, consultants or other people who are enjoying these corrupt actions”.
Mr. Ocansey Arthur
He also suggested measures should be put in place to discuss efforts which can be used to fight corruption. He also urged that the argument of whose efforts is better should cease.